Why Texas law says, "Drink, drive, go to jail," - Texas leads the nation in drunk driving crashes and fatalities.
Alcohol-related fatalities in Texas accounted for almost 38 percent of deaths in 2008. Drunk driving, reckless driving, impaired driving, or driving under the influence puts innocent people at risk everyday and the penalty for drunk driving in Texas is simple: Drink, drive, go to jail. Texas leads the nation for alcohol-related fatalities, with 1,269 alcohol-related deaths in 2008 where a driver involved had a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
Case in Point
Houston police said a minivan carrying a family of four was headed southbound on Fountain View Drive around midnight, when, according to witnesses, the driver of a black Honda headed eastbound on Westheimer Road ran a red light.
The van hit the car in the middle of the intersection. According to the Houston Fire Department chief, the driver of the black Honda appeared to be intoxicated.
When emergency crews arrived, the suspected drunken driver was trapped in his car. The Houston Fire Department had to use the Jaws of Life to extract him from the car. That driver was rushed to the hospital. The four people in the minivan were unharmed.
The four people inside the van, a mother, father, and their 1-year-old and 3-month-old children were wearing their seat belts, police said.
Texas drunk driving statistics
In Texas, the legal limit for intoxication is .08 Alcohol Concentration (BAC). If an officer thinks your driving is impaired, you can still be stopped and arrested for DWI regardless of your BAC.
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